NORTH PORT, Fla. — It doesn’t take long for Braves right-hander Ian Anderson to point out why he’s so calm. When you ask people about him, they all bring up this trait. They talk about his poise and how it defines him. They say it’s impressive for someone his age.
To Anderson, his sense of calm comes from his mother, Karen, who raised Anderson and his three brothers. She instilled her toughness in them.
He cracks a smile as he thinks about what his mother must have dealt with while having Anderson and his brothers around the house.
“She just has that personality, that persona,” Anderson said. “She’s never really fazed by anything. … She’s seen a lot.”
Ian’s ability to remain calm in any situation has helped him immensely early in his career. It feels like he, too, has seen a lot to this point.
He debuted during a global pandemic. He’s pitched in the postseason and World Series. He’s a champion. He’s experienced a lockout. He did all of this before his 24th birthday.
He’s faced Juan Soto and Bryce Harper tons of times. He’s learned how to become an escape artist. He’s pitched in rowdy environments that may have shaken others.
“He's a young kid that goes out there, and he's got the confidence of a seasoned vet. That's a very rare thing when you match that with the talent he has. It's very impressive, and he's going to have a great career."
All of this came in fewer than two calendar years since the Braves called him up to the big leagues.
“I think the most impressive thing is just how mentally calm he is,” left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek said. “He’s a young kid that goes out there, and he’s got the confidence of a seasoned vet. That’s a very rare thing when you match that with the talent he has. It’s very impressive, and he’s going to have a great career.”
It seems Anderson’s continued development will be crucial to the Braves’ desire to contend for years to come. For 2022, the right-hander appears to be one of three locks for the starting rotation, with Charlie Morton and Max Fried as the others.
Anderson burst onto the scene in 2020 when he posted a 1.95 ERA over six regular-season starts. Then came the most encouraging part: In four postseason starts, he pitched to a 0.96 ERA (two earned runs over 18 ⅔ innings).
In 2021, after the rest of the league had a look at him, Anderson came back and had a 3.58 ERA over 128 ⅓ frames. He once again starred in the postseason as he allowed only three earned runs in 17 innings. Anderson seems to be calmest in the biggest moments.
“It’s just how Ian can slow the game down and just how he handles big situations, and at a young age he’s been in a lot of them,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Ian pitches with a lot of confidence.”
Anderson has three main pitches: a four-seam fastball, a change-up and a curveball. Opposing batters hit only .197 against the change-up in 2021, according to Baseball Savant, and .216 against the fastball. The Braves, Snitker said, expect those weapons only to improve as Anderson gains more experience.
The Braves entered camp with the goal of repeating as World Series champions. They’ll face stiff competition around the National League East once again. Most notably, the Mets added starting pitcher Max Scherzer, outfielder Starling Marte, infielder Eduardo Escobar and others. And once again, the Dodgers look stacked after adding Freddie Freeman.
This is where Anderson comes into the picture. He’s part of the Braves’ young core, someone on whom they’ll rely this season. And it appears he’s ready for the challenge and responsibility that comes with being one of the rotation’s main pieces.
To this point in his career, Anderson has seen a lot. He feels his experiences, from pitching during the COVID-19 season to winning a World Series, have provided him with knowledge someone his age shouldn’t possess.
“Just dealing with adversity,” Anderson said. “I think that’s a big part of staying out there. Getting out of jams and pitching through things like that. I’ve always kind of had this calmness about me that I think has served me very well so far. Just trying to be in the moment and enjoy it.”
